PRAISE TO ARYA
AVALOKITESHVARA
TO HEAR HIS NAME AND SEE HIS FORM
DELIVERS BEINGS FROM EVERY WOE.
P R E F A C E
The Karma Kagyud Buddhist Centre, Singapore is organising the Mani
Drungdrub, from 28 Nov 1999 to 1 Jan 2000. This is a collective
exercise, whereby all devotees collectively recite the
Avalokiteshvara’s Six-Syllable Mantra for one hundred million
times. The merits generated from this collective effort will be
dedicated to world peace and the well being of all.
The deity presiding in this event is Arya Avalokiteshvara or Kuan
Yin Pu Sa. Members from the working committee for this event and
some devotees have requested for some information on this
Bodhisattva, his mission, the Six-Syllable Mantra, as well as the
benefits of engaging in such a recitation. In this article, I have
tried to provide the information based on related Buddhist
texts.
With the blessings of all the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas and gurus, I
hope that this article can in some ways benefit those who are new
to Mahayana Buddhism, and also encourage and inspire those who are
already treading on the path. May the merits accumulated by myself
and those people who have supported me in this amateurish work be
dedicated to all. May the loving-kindness and compassion of
Avalokiteshvara blossoms in the minds of all sentient beings.
Shangpa Tulku Rinpoche
INTRODUCTION
As a result of our grasping to a "self-ego", defilement such as
pride, jealousy, desire, ignorance, miserliness and hatred arise.
Due to these wrong views and emotions, sentient beings perform
negative actions that bind themselves to sufferings in samsara,
which is the cycle of birth, aging, sickness and death.
All the Buddhas including Buddha Sakyamuni appear in this world to
show us the path of release from this suffering. To reach the goal
of Enlightenment, a practitioner needs to develop the wisdom and
qualities of the Buddha. During the development stage, the aspiring
Bodhisattva relies on the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas for their
teachings, blessings, support and empowerment. Through the
perfection of the six paramitas, these Great Beings or Bodhisattvas
accumulate tremendous merits, compassion, wisdom and qualities,
which enable them to help all sentient beings.
One of the most revered Bodhisattva in Tibet, China, Japan, Korea
and the South East Asia is Arya Avalokiteshvara. He is known as
Chenrezig to the Tibetans or Kuan Yin Pu Sa to the Chinese.
Avalokiteshvara’s Miraculous Birth in the Pure Land of
Padmawati
According to Mani Kabum text, in the pure land of Padmawati, there
was a universal monarch called Zangpochog. This King wished for a
son. He made many offerings to the Triple Gems to grant him his
wish, and for each offering, he would send his servants to gather
lotus flowers.
On one occasion, a servant found a giant lotus at the lake. The
size of its petals was like vulture’s wings and it was about to
bloom. He rushed back to inform the King. The King felt that this
is a sign that his wish for a son would be granted. He went with
his entourage of ministers to the lake with many offerings. There
they found a giant lotus blooming. Within its petals, there was a
boy of about sixteen years old. His body was white in colour and he
was adorned with the physical marks of perfection of a Buddha.
Lights were radiating from his body. The boy exclaimed, "I feel
pity for all the sentient beings who are suffering so much!"
The King and his entourage made many offerings and prostrations to
the boy, and invited him to the palace. The King gave him the name
"Lotus Borne" or "Essence of Lotus" because of his miraculous
birth. He also consulted his master, Buddha Amitabha on this
matter. The Buddha told the King that this boy is a manifestation
of all the activities of the Buddhas. He is also the manifestation
of the hearts of all the Buddhas. His name is Avalokiteshvara and
he is to fulfill the purpose of all sentient beings as vast as
space.
Avalokiteshvara’s mission and the manifestation of the six Buddhas
in the six realms of beings.
One full moon day, the King made great offerings to the Triple Gems
and Avalokiteshvara. At that moment, Avalokiteshvara recollected
his mission. He had to liberate all sentient beings from their
sufferings. With his great compassion, he gazed at the sentient
beings within the three realms of the desire, form and formless. He
saw their defilements and sufferings. He saw that "their desires
are like the waterfall; their hatred is like a blazing fire; their
ignorance shrouding them like clouds of darkness; their pride is as
solid as the mountain, and their jealousy is as rapid as the wind.
The chain of self or ego ties each and every sentient being to the
cycle of birth and death. The sufferings they experienced is as if
they have fallen into the blazing fire.
Great compassion arises and tears flowed from Avalokiteshvara’s
eyes. He made great offerings and prostrations to the Buddhas of
the ten directions and prayed for their guidance on how he could
benefit all these suffering beings. The Buddhas responded in
unison, "If you wish to benefit all these sentient beings, you must
be motivated by loving-kindness and compassion. Do not be tired of
this work. Do not give up." Again he asked, "How shall I develop
loving kindness and compassion?" Buddha Amitabha appeared to
instruct Avalokiteshvara on the practice, and empowered him to
fulfill his mission. With this blessing, Avalokiteshvara aspired
further "from each and every pore of my body, may I manifest
Buddhas and Bodhisattvas according to the needs of all sentient
beings. With these manifestations, may I liberate all sentient
beings without leaving anyone behind. If I have of self-clinging,
may my head crack into pieces". Buddha Amitabha praised him, "Well
done. The Buddhas of the ten directions and three times and I have
also developed the same enlightened attitude as you. We have made
this aspiration and attained Enlightenment. I will assist you."
Buddha Amitabha blessed his aspiration and empowered him
further.
Manifestation of Six Buddhas in the Six Realms
Avalokiteshvara then radiated six lights from his body to the six
realms of beings. Each light manifested as one Buddha.
The six Buddhas are:
Buddha Gyajin in the gods realm to subdue the pride of all gods and
relieve their suffering;
Buddha Thagzangri in the demi-gods realm to subdue their jealousy
and relieve their suffering of constant fighting and warfare;
Buddha Sakyamuni in the human realm to subdue their desire and
relieve them from birth, old age, sickness and death;
Buddha Senge Rabten in the animals realm to subdue their defilement
of ignorance, and relieve their sufferings of being hunted, eaten
and tortured;
Buddha Namkhazod in the hungry ghost realm to subdue their
defilement of miserliness, and relieve their suffering of hunger
and thirst;
Buddha Chokyi Gyalpo in the hell realm to subdue the defilement of
hatred, and relieve the suffering of extreme hot and cold and other
intense sufferings.
Countless sentient beings were thus liberated.
Manifestation of the Thousand-Armed Thousand-Eyes Avalokiteshvara
and the Six-Syllable mantra.
After some time, Avalokiteshvara thought that he would have reduced
significantly the number of suffering sentient beings. When he
gazed with his wisdom eye from Mount Meru, he was disappointed to
find that the numbers had not decreased. He radiated his lights to
the six realms another three times to liberate the sentient beings.
When he checked again, he was disappointed. With despair, he
thought, "Truly as what the Tathagatha has spoken, space is
infinite; so likewise sentient beings are also infinite. I have
liberated so many beings and yet their numbers have not decreased.
Samsara has no end. I must liberate myself.
With this degenerate thought, he broke his bodhisattva vow. His
head cracked into a hundred pieces. With great repentance, he cried
to Buddha Amitabha and all the Buddhas for help, "I have not
accomplished my purpose and sentient beings’ purpose, please help
me." Buddha Amitabha appeared, collected the hundred pieces of
cracked skull, and transformed them into eleven heads. He blessed
ten of them with peaceful appearances and one with wrathful
appearance in order to subdue those who could not be subdued by
peaceful means.
Buddha Amitabha then instructed, "There is no beginning to samsara.
There is also no end to samsara. You must benefit sentient beings
until samsara ends.(See Footnote) Avalokiteshvara requested "If I
need to benefit all the sentient beings until samsara ends, may I
have one thousand arms, and one thousand eyes. May these one
thousand arms manifest as a thousand universal monarchs, and the
one thousand eyes manifest as a thousand Buddhas". Buddha Amitabha
granted him his wish with one thousand arms and one thousand eyes,
each eye in the palm of each hand.
Footnote: Gampopa in Jewel Ornament of Liberation states that "no
end’ means it takes a very long period to liberate all the beings
but it does not mean it cannot be done forever. From the ordinary
being’s point of view, samsara - the cycle of birth and death is
too long for us to see where it begins and where it ends. However,
to all the Buddhas or the Enlightened Beings samsara is just an
illusion, and the illusion does not have an identity of existing or
not existing. Everyone can clear this illusion, as it does not
contain any truth in it. In this context, it means "Avalokiteshvara
must benefit all the sentient beings until all of them are
liberated.
Buddha Amitabha then further instructed him "If you want to relieve
the suffering of the six realms, you must propagate the
Six-Syllable Mantra "OM MA NI PAD ME HUNG" which will stop the
rebirth and sufferings of the beings of the six realms. Each of the
syllables will eliminate the cause and condition to be reborn in
one of the respective six realms. "OM" will eliminate the cause and
condition to be borne in the gods’ realm. "MA" will eliminate the
cause and condition to be borne in the demi-gods realm. "NI" will
eliminate the cause and condition to be borne in the human realm.
"PAD" will eliminate the cause and condition to be borne in the
animal realm, "ME" will eliminate the cause and condition to be
borne in the hungry ghost realm. "HUNG" will eliminate the cause
and condition to be borne in the hell realm. You must engage, keep,
recite and absorb this. This will empty the six realms."
The Coming of Avalokiteshvara into this World
Buddha Amitabha manifested the six syllables of "Om Mani Padme
Hung" in the form of light, which came into this world to Mount
Potala. He also instructed Avalokiteshvara to go there to liberate
all the sentient beings. Heralding Avalokiteshvara’s coming, the
whole world was filled with wondrous signs and brilliant lights,
which surpassed the sun and moon.
During that time, Buddha Sakyamuni was giving a teaching at Mount
Malaya. One of the Bodhisattva noticed the brilliant lights. He
kneeled down and asked the Buddha for the reason. Buddha Sakyamuni
replied, "From here to the West beyond the countless universes,
there is a place called Padmawati. At that place, there is a Buddha
known as Amitabha, and he has a Bodhisattva called Avalokiteshvara.
This Bodhisattva has come to this world to Mount Potala where he
will benefit countless sentient beings. He is the most perfect
amongst all the Bodhisattvas. He manifests one thousand Buddhas
pervading the whole universe in order to liberate all sentient
beings."
The Teachings of the Six -Syllable Mantra by Buddha Sakyamuni
On one occasion, Buddha Sakyamuni was dwelling at the monastery of
Anathapindika, in Jeta Grove, near Shravasti with his entourage of
disciples. He introduced this remarkable Bodhisattva and the
Six-Syllable Mantra to the assembly. A Bodhisattva by the name of
Sarvanivaranaviskambhim made a request to the Exalted One. The
Bodhisattva paid homage and cried, "For the benefits of the beings
in the six realms, please advice me how I may obtain this Great
Mantra that is the wisdom of all the Buddhas, which will cut the
roots of the samsara. May Buddha please bestow me this teaching. I
offer the whole universe as Mandala. To whoever who wishes to write
this Six-syllable Mantra, I offer my blood as ink, my bones as pen
and my skin as paper. Please, Lord Buddha, grant me this teaching
of the Six-syllable Mantra."
Buddha Sakyamuni then gave the teaching, "This is the most
beneficial mantra. Even I made this aspiration to all the million
Buddhas and subsequently received this teaching from Buddha
Amitabha."
The benefits of the Six-Syllable Mantra
The merits of the Six-Syllable Mantra are immeasurable and cannot
be fully described even by the Buddhas of the three times. Some of
these benefits are:
Whoever keeps this mantra, his body will transform into the vajra
body, his bones will transform into the relics of the Buddha and
his ordinary mind will transform into the wisdom of the
Buddhas.
Whoever recites the mantra for even one time will obtain
immeasurable wisdom. He will eventually develop compassion and
perfect the six paramitas. He will be born as a universal monarch.
He will achieve the irreversible stage of the Bodhisattva and
finally attain Enlightenment.
If this mantra is carved onto rocks and mountains, and a human or
non-human being comes into contact and sees the mantra, he will
develop the cause to be a Bodhisattva in the next life, thereby
relieving his sufferings.
It is said that the sand of the Ganges and the drops of water in
the ocean can be counted but not the merits from the recitation of
this Six-Syllable Mantra.
The Six-Syllable Mantra is the speech manifestation and the wisdom
energy of all the Buddhas. It purifies our impure perception of
sound. It is also a means to protect our mind from its deluded
thoughts. It cuts off one’s ignorance and opens up one’s wisdom. It
augments immeasurable blessings and peacefulness can be obtained.
It can save and alleviate beings from hundreds and thousands of
suffering and difficulties
This may sound inconceivable to some people. The Bodhisattva,
however, has made great aspiration and accumulated countless
merits, wisdom and skilful means to help sentient beings. He has
the "hook" to liberate beings. If we have the sincerity and deep
faith in him and exercise effort in our practice of Dharma, we are
likened to having "a solid and unbroken ring". With our ring of
faith, Avalokiteshvara will be able to "fish" us out of our
sufferings.
Therefore, we should respectfully bring Avalokiteshvara to mind,
and sincerely and clearly recite the Six Syllable-Mantra. All our
worldly and beyond worldly needs will be fulfilled.
AVALOKITESHVARA IN
TIBET
At one time, Lha Thothori Nyentsen, a Tibetan King, was residing in
the Yumbu Lagang Palace. A casket fell from the sky upon the palace
roof. It opened and revealed the Sutra of The Rites of Renunciation
and Fulfillment (spang-skong phyag-brgya-pa’imdo), a mould engraved
with the Dharani of the Wish-fulfilling Gem (Cintamanidharani), the
Sutra of the Cornucopia of Avalokiteshvara’s Attributes
(Aryakaranda-sutra), the Six-Syllable Mantra, and a golden stupa.
The king did not know what they were, but understood them to be
auspicious. The king had a visionary dream that the meaning of the
"auspicious objects" would be understood after five
generations.
The fifth monarch after Lha Thothori Nyentsen was King Songtsen
Gampo. He married the Nepalese princess Brikuti and the Chinese
Tang princess Wen-Cheng. Each of them brought a statue of Buddha
Sakyamuni to Tibet and introduced the Buddhist culture to the
country. The King felt the importance to bring the Buddhas’
teachings to his people. He sent Thonmi Sambhota to India to study
grammar and writing. Thonmi Sambhota later invented the Tibetan
alphabets and grammar based on the Sanskrit. The first Buddhist
text that was translated from Sanskrit to Tibetan language is the
Twenty-One sutras and tantras of Avalokiteshvara. Subsequently,
many other important Buddhas' teachings were also
translated.
The King and his people
engaged in the practice of Avalokiteshvara. The scriptures of the
teachings were collected and hidden in separate treasures. The
accomplished masters Ngodrup, Lord Nyang and the teacher Shakya-O
later recovered these treasures. The treasures are renowned as the
Collected Works of the King concerning the Mantra "Om Mani Padme
Hum" (mani bka-bum).
Many past and living great masters in Tibet propagate the teachings
of Avalokiteshvara to their devotees. There are a number of
sadhanas composed by such great masters who had personally received
the teachings from the deity in the course of their practice. Many
Tibetan practitioners follow these methods of practice to
accomplish the state of Avalokiteshvara and liberate themselves
from the sufferings of Samsara. They also lead others to this
perfect path.
Many monasteries and nunneries also conduct yearly purification
retreats (Nyungne), Grand recitations of the Mantra for the
ordained and lay people. The masters also encourage the casting of
the Six-Syllable Mantra on prayer wheels, etc to create merits. The
Tibetans believe that all these actions will support them in the
progress of their spiritual path. They believe that Avalokiteshvara
is their savior and protector, while King Songtsen Gampo was an
emanation of Avalokiteshvara, and his two consorts were emanations
of the two Taras.
AVALOKITESHVARA IN
CHINA
Although Buddhism came
to China since the Eastern Han dynasty, it became very widespread
and influential in the country only during the period of Tang
dynasty. Many followers of the religion made pilgrimage to India to
learn from the source of the teachings. The most famous of these
Tang pilgrims is Master Hsuan-Tsang. It was recorded that during
his journey to India, he lost his way in the desert but managed to
find his way out by calling upon the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara
for assistance.
In Chinese Buddhism, there are two main schools concerning the
teaching and practice of Avalokiteshvara. The Tien Tai School
teaches the Saddharmapundarika Sutra or Lotus Sutra. In one of the
chapters of "Pu Mien Pin", Buddha Sakyamuni related that this
Bodhisattva has the ability to manifest everywhere and in any form
in order to save beings from suffering. He readily responds to
those who are facing dangers such as dangers caused by the weapons,
fetters, fire, demons, cliffs and water. The Buddha also related
that if there is a woman who desires to have a child, then she
should pray to the Bodhisattva with reverence and respect, and in
due time she will give birth to a child of her choice endowed with
blessings, virtues and wisdom.
The other is the Jing Tu (Pure Land) School, which propagate the
teaching of the Amitabha Sutra. According to the text, Buddha
Amitabha has created a Buddha Pure Land out of his boundless
compassion and love for all sentient beings. He vows that anyone
who has absolute faith in him and the Pure Land will be reborn
there. In that Pure Land, Avalokiteshvara who is his assistant is
ever ready to go anywhere to lead the faithful to the land of
purity and bliss. The simplicity of this teaching appeal and touch
the heart of those who are seeking for peace and happiness. With
the spread of this school of practice, Buddha Amitabha and
Avalokiteshvara become even more popular. There is a Chinese
Saying, "Amitabha in every place; Kuan-Yin in every house"
The worship of this Bodhisattva is now very much merged with the
Chinese tradition and beliefs. This can be evidenced from the
change of the gender of the Bodhisattva from male to female. The
paintings from Tun-huang portrayed the Bodhisattva as a male with a
moustache. He is also sometimes depicted with eleven heads, a
thousand eyes and a thousand hands. However, after this period the
Bodhisattva is shown as a female clad in white called Pai-e Kuan
Yin. It is possible to justify such a change for the Mahayana
sutras teach that a Bodhisattva could assume any form and shape to
assist sentient beings.
GREAT PRACTITIONERS OF
AVALOKITESHVARA
The biographies of great masters are always a continual source of
inspiration. Their enlightened activities benefit countless beings.
We introduced here two such great masters who had practised the
Avalokiteshvara’s teachings and attained Enlightenment.
One of the great masters is Gelongma Palmo (or bhikunis Lakshmi)
who lived in the tenth or eleventh centuries C.E. She was born in a
royal family of an Indian Kingdom, and was ordained in her youth.
She received many teachings from the great masters of her time and
practiced diligently. Due to the ripening of her past karma, she
contracted leprosy and was cast into the forest by the people. She
had a vision of King Indrabodhi(See Footnote)who advised her to
practise Avalokiteshvara.
Footnote: King Indra Bodhi is the first person who received
Vajrayana teachings from Buddha and he is also one of the 84
saints
She recited the mantras of Avalokiteshvara and subsequently
performed the continuous Nyungne retreat before the image of
Avalokiteshvara. Through devotion and diligence in her practice,
she was able to recover from leprosy. She also developed great love
and compassion for all beings. She became an enlightened nun and
guided many disciples in the practice of Avalokiteshvara.
She was credited for passing down the practice of Nyungne retreat,
a very effective practice for purification and developing
loving-kindness and compassion for all beings.
Another great practitioner of Avalokiteshvara is Thangton Gyalpo
(1385-1509). He was born in upper Tsang in Tibet. One day, while he
was practicing the Six-Syllable Mantra, the sublime Avalokiteshvara
appeared before him to guide and empower him. Through his diligent
practice, he became a realized being. Based on his practice and
achievement, he wrote the sadhana "For the Benefits of All Beings
Pervading Space"to guide others in the practice of Avalokiteshvara.
This text is found in all the Tibetan schools of Buddhism.
He was able to recall his previous life as Gelong Padma Karpo (or
bhikhu White Lotus). During that lifetime, from the age of 20 to 80
years old he consistently practiced the Avalokiteshvara Nyungne
Retreat. He could even remember how he had supplicated to this
great Bodhisattva. This supplication was recorded in the Buddhist
prayers and passed down to this day.
After he was enlightened, he also recovered many concealed
treasures of the doctrines, and introduced the Buddha teachings to
many people. He produced uncountable images, books and stupas
representing the Buddha's body, speech and mind. He built more than
a hundred ferry-crossings and iron suspension bridges to benefit
the people. In order to encourage virtuous conduct in the people
and to support the cost of the construction works, he depicted the
lives of past Bodhisattvas, religious kings, and others in folk
operas. All his activities were inconceivable in his
time.
CONCLUSION
According to the Buddha teachings, it is extremely difficult for
one to receive the teachings of Avalokiteshvara and the
Six-Syllable Mantra. However, due to our accumulated merits, we are
able to learn about Avalokiteshvara, his development process, his
great mission and his accomplishments. We also learn about the
inconceivable merits of the Mantra, we should rejoice and cherish
this.
If we recite this Mantra which liberates all the beings from
samsara, we will be able to purify our misdeeds, clear our
obscurations and perfect our bodhicitta. Thus we should:
Take the Arya Avalokiteshvara as our yidam (deity),
Recite the Six Syllables as the essence mantra,
Be free from the fear of going to the lower realms.
With this I complete my short article on the Arya Avalokiteshvara
and the Six-Syllable Mantra with a stanza from the Thirty-Seven
Practices of A Bodhisattva:
Due to the virtue arising from this, may all sentient beings
By means of the supreme and conventional bodhicittas,
Become the Protector Avalokiteshvara who does not abide in
the
Extremes of cyclic existence and solitary salvation.
May virtues and auspiciousness increase!
© 1999 Shangpa
Rinpoche
All Right Reserved
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